Pro Drifter To Compete In The Drift Masters Stadium Final Using His Feet

Drift Masters Grand Prix recently announced its wildcard list, featuring the likes of Adam LZ, Matt Field, and Hiroya Minowa for the packed European stadium final in front of 55,000 fans.

However, alongside FD’s big guns, there’s also a name you might not be so familiar with on the wildcard list, and he has a story that you won’t believe.

If you look at the poster, you’ll see Polish driver Bartosz Ostalowski. Look even closer, and you won’t believe what you’re seeing.

Following a devastating motorcycle accident in 2006, Bartosz lost both his arms. Rather than letting this restrict him, he decided to instead go all-in on drifting, defying what many believed to be possible.

If you’ve had the opportunity to drift with a wheel, whether it’s on a sim rig or a real-world drift car, you’ll likely know how challenging it is to master the art of sliding sideways.

It often takes many sim drifters months or years to reach a respectable level to tandem with their friends or battle against the tough online competition, despite facing no obstacles.

As for Bartosz, he just casually rocks up with his trademark smile and starts using his feet to make drifting look like a walk in the park.

I first saw him compete in the European “King of Europe” series, from which I was shooting the sidelines. I hadn’t seen him in the paddock and had no idea that the guy who was knocking doors with some of Europe’s best was competing with his feet.

It blew my mind, and I had so many questions – I imagine you do, too.

The first obvious one is always “how does he manage to steer?” This is done using his left foot. Meanwhile, his right foot controls the throttle and brake.

He also has an ebrake, which is converted to a pedal above the accelerator, allowing him to quickly shift to using his toe for entries.

Gear shifting is performed using a ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, using his shoulders to shift up and down.

He manages to do all this without the use of a clutch, despite many drifters arguing that it’s a must-have accessory in any drift car.

Hoonigan visited Bartosz to check out his previous Nissan Skyline R34 competition build, where he provided a clear explanation of how everything works. Prepare for your mind to be blown:

He now competes in a BMW E92 M3, “Furia”, where he set a Guinness World Record for the fastest drift in a foot-driven car, with an insane 277 km/h (172 mph) entry:

We can’t imagine the record will be broken anytime soon!

The BMW E92 M3, which he’ll be using for the Drift Masters final, is powered by a 7.0-liter LS3 V8, with 1,000 horsepower and 944 pound-feet of torque. Power is sent to the wheels via a ZF 8HP90 automatic transmission, maintaining the same flappy paddle design as the R34.

When he’s not busy bagging podiums in the Polish drift series, it comes as no surprise to many, given his “Never Give Up!” motto, that he’s a motivational speaker.

However, it’s a little more surprising that he’s also a foot painter! He sure is a hugely impressive man of many talents, letting nothing hold him back from achieving his dreams.

You’ll be able to witness Bartosz’ crazy abilities live next weekend, 12-13 September, at the 2025 Drift Masters Grand Prix final.

He prepares to fight against the best drifters from around the world, including recent five-time FD champ and multiple record-breaker James Deane, in front of 55,000 fans on home soil at Warsaw’s PGE Narodowy stadium.

If you’re interested in learning more, you can follow Bartosz Ostałowski’s YouTube channel and visit his official website.